


Ode to Jackie

by Blue_Daddys_Girl



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: 6h long game perfect ending, A little treat for Jackie lovers, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff, Friendship/Love, jackie lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:14:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28002255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Daddys_Girl/pseuds/Blue_Daddys_Girl
Summary: I just cried and laughed and could NOT believe what CDPR has done to me and my fucking bleeding heart, so here I am, writing two tiny one-shots of the ending we deserved. Maybe not the best ending for Jackie, but the best for Jackie lovers.Or what if Cyberpunk 2077 were a 7h long game with a happy ending.First chapter is Female V, second chapter is Male V.
Relationships: Female V & Jackie Welles, Male V & Jackie Welles
Comments: 12
Kudos: 66





	1. Chapter 1

V's ears still ring. She grimaces and massages her temple. It's been eight months and the tinnitus just won't go away. Of course a good ripperdoc could get to it, but they are laying low. _Very low_. 

'D'you know, I still can't quite believe it.'

'What's that?' V asks, hand reaching for the glass Jackie is handing her. 'Can't believe that map-stain of a pueblo had someone peddling your favourite tequila?'

'That's we're alive, chica!' Jackie exclaims, crashing into the seat opposite, stretching his legs along hers on the small table between them. 'Besides you're glad for the tequila too, don't lie. You like the drinks I fix you.'

He gives her a small kick to the knee, a wink, and takes a sip of his own glass, just plain happy.

V frowns at him, hiding her awe under a long suffering look. She had never realised how deeply she cared for the man until he was bleeding all over her on a mission that looked like it had gone tits up. When they'd somehow made it by the skin of their teeth, pushed the cargo on Dex and collected their cursed forty percents, it had become crystal clear that they needed to make themselves scarce.

For a good long while.

Farewells come easy to V. She is nomad, through and through, always been on the move. She had started to think that might change, what with Night City being so good for work, and Jackie growing into true family. She wouldn't want to go without him. Now she didn't have to–but him... Poor bastard didn't have her luxury. He'd sent money to his mom, his sweetheart, and burnt all bridges without any idea of when he might start building them again. It took him a long time getting over the funk.

'Whatcha looking at me like that for?'

V sips on her drink, letting its warmth blend with that of the emotions swirling in her.   
She feels sorry, yet not sorry. She's too content these days, cruising on their pretty sailboat, going from dingy ports to natural harbours, tossing anchor whenever they need a refill. Jackie's always beaming now, remembering how lucky he is to be alive at all, forever grateful, somehow.   
That's what awes her, the optimism, the boisterous, unbreakable good nature of the man. She's asked him to teach her his trick, but all he says in reply is a long string of motivational nonsense laced with Spanish slang.

'I'm looking at my friend, being grateful we didn't have to share a coffin ride on Delamain's cursed leather back seats. Or even worse, send you home in there alone.'

He grins, only the slightest tinge of sadness for the might-have-been in the cant of his eyebrows, and offers his glass up for a toast. 

Now she doesn't need to learn his trick, she's got it all figured out for herself. The glass is cool against her palm, the breeze ruffles her hair, grown long and natural again. Jackie taps away at his little radiotune in search of a song to fit the moment. They look at the sun setting beyond the waves, cybernetic eyes enhancing nature's show.  
Her joy is in the moment, and in her friend being alive and safe, and smiling again. In the family they're building together, one day of cheerful exile at a time.


	2. Driving On

V holds a light grip on the wheel of their car. He has a pleasant smile on, unworried. These past few months, he hasn't even had to fake it. 

'What is this pendejo doing?' Jackie moans besides him.

'You need to chill my friend. This is the French border, he's checking these guys for contraband and nothing else.'

'I know.'

'We're in a luxury car. They'll leave us alone.'

'I know, I know. I just...'

V chuckles, glances at his partner. 

'You know that first time, when we jacked through NC's border with an iguana in the boot, I thought it was your first rodeo.'

'No fuckin' way,' Jackie grumbles, hiding his grimace behind a tattooed hand. 

The border guard is making his way towards them.

'Yeah, turns out you just suck at this every time like it's your first time huh? Bonjour monsieur officier.'

The young lad gives V a small smile, appreciating the effort, if not the success. 

'Bonjour. Can I see your papers please?'

'Of course, here you are.'

The young man gives a cursory scan of the documents with his government issued cybernetic eyes, and gives V and his nervous passenger a second glance under a slight frown. 

'You drive this car?'

V laughs, delighted and genuine still.

'I thought the same when I got it! Finally top grade AI, no need to drive and all that. But my friend, let me tell you, it's a waste to let the AI drive this beauty, it rides like a cloud. I stay behind the wheel like a hobbyist now. I really recommend you give it a try.'

The guard gives him a deadpan glare.

'Little too out of my pay grade.'

'Not if you rent it for a weekend trip,' V says, tossing a chip at him. 

The young guard snatches it out of the air, grinning madly, making this the cheeriest bribe V's ever delivered. 

'As you say sir, bon voyage.'

They drive off into France. Jackie shifts in his seat, sighs, and turns his attention to the radio station, running through French channels until he finds something suitable for a cruise down the Pyrénées. 

'Your talents are wasted behind the wheel amigo.'

'Don't be a gasbag, _amigo_ , I'm only nice like that because I'm happy. They can feel it you know, that there's nothing to hide.'

Jackie laughs at that. They have plenty to hide, just not in the boot of the car, for once. 

But V is truly content, driving around Europe like a carefree nomad clan of two.   
After their last and boldest mission, when Jackie'd been bleeding all over him and things looked like they'd gone tits up, V had realised how much he loved his partner, how the fun he had in NC had come from him. How forty percent wouldn't be worth shit if he were to spend them alone.   
As they bled out on Delamain's back seats, V had surprised himself with a prayer, mumbled under his breath and addressed to no one in particular, that at the very least they make it out alive, both of them. Even if they had to go hide in NC's sewers for a decade, being in it with Jackie would be fun, and much better than dying, or worse, surviving him.  
Somehow they'd made it. Somehow Dex had come through, wiring them the money and going to ground without a word. By then it was crystal clear that they needed to make themselves scarce. For a good long while.  
Burning bridges was second nature for V, but Jackie...

V gives him a glance, realises he's mixing drinks in glasses held between his thighs. 

'Whatcha looking at me like that for?'

'Just in disbelief that you can mix tequila cocktails with your knees.'

Jackie laughs and hands him a glass.

'To each their own talent, eh? You like the drinks I fix you, I like the way you make us go through borders like el viento.'

V surrenders control to the AI and takes a sip of his drink. It tastes like good old days, and like a magnificent present.   
They watch the sun cast long shadows with the walls of the valleys they descend into, they let the breeze burst through the windows, whipping their long hair worn loose. They joke and banter, make plans for the evening and the morrow, and V feels the smallest tinge of guilt, that this life feels so perfect to him. 

'What's bothering you?' Jackie asks finally, perceptive as ever. 

V sigh and looks at him, wistful. Jackie's always so honest, it's hard not to be the same, out of respect.

'You still miss them?' V asks finally.

'Them who chico? I miss a lot of people.' 

'Yeah, I figured. See, I'm just aware, you know... Compared to you I... You can say I got real lucky.'

'How so?'

'I didn't leave anyone behind, not really. I got to run away with my family. With you.'

Jackie's face splits in a big smile, only the cant of his eyebrows hinting at a tinge of sadness. He wraps up V's neck in a huge paw, brings him close to bump foreheads. 

'Oww!'

'You're my family too, tonto, we're lucky in this together.'

And so they are, and they drive on.

**Author's Note:**

> RIP Jackie. Can't believe I was texting my friend how you were the best NPC I'd played with in a decade, easy, and an hour later I was calling you baby, reloading when I'd said something that upset you, and an hour later I was claiming you were the best husbando since FE3H's Dimitri, and that I couldn't see how any other love interest would take me away from you in this game. 
> 
> SERIOUSLY CDPR WTF!!! You made me cry and laugh and cry again in pure hysteria. WTF!! I hate you guys, that was too many emotions. Johnny ain't worth it. Fuck him, I want my spanish slav bulk madlad BAAAACK!!!  
> · ╥﹏╥ ·
> 
> Also, if you notice any poor use of spanish, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CORRECT ME IN A COMMENT. Any and all help appreciated, I've studied spanish at school aeons ago and didn't make any effort with it since.


End file.
